1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spooling device, especially for the spooling of load straps, comprising a rotatable spool and an operating means, for example a manual crank, in which the load strap or similar to be spooled, is secured to the spool.
2. Description of Related Art
The spooling device according to the invention is not restricted to the spooling of load straps, as it is just as suitable for spooling other elongated, band-shaped elements, for example fire hoses. Especially by load straps, the spooling on the rotatable spool of the spooling device shall follow an approximately perfectly helical path in which the successive windings of strap mainly completely overlap in the radial direction, and in which each strap winding bears tightly against immediately adjacent strap windings. This has been difficult or impossible to achieve with known spooling devices of similar kind.
A problem with spooling devices of the kind in question is how to secure, directly or indirectly, the free strap end to the rotatable spool, and another problem consists in enabling release of the spooled roll-shaped strap from the spooling device quickly and without disturbing the spooled roll-shaped strap.
To ensure the position of the load on a load platform, several load straps are usually provided transverse to the longitudinal direction of the load. Spooled load straps are thrown by the driver from one side of the load platform to the other side thereof. After a successful throw, by which the strap spools out successively during its movement across the platform and load, the strap finally comes to rest loosely across the load. Then the driver hitches the securing hook at the one end of the strap to an adjacent hole/loop on one outer side of the load platform, and then walks around to the other side of the load platform, where he picks up the other free, outer end of the strap, which is then secured in a known manner to the load platform by way of a tightening device.
When the transport is completed, the load is released by loosening and removing the straps, whereafter they are normally spooled by hand without any suitable spooling device, which is inconvenient and time-consuming work often resulting in inaccurate spooling.
The load strap must be spooled to enable throwing across the load.
A spooling device of the initially mentioned kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,565, which concerns for example hose drums in connection with irrigation. This hose or strap drum has an axially outer, hollow drum extension projecting from the mounting plate of the drum on the one side, this hollow extension being formed with through radial holes for the insertion and locking of the mounting portion of a crank.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,183,819 is described a securing device for fabric, band, line or similar, in which an elongated tubular carrier surrounds a likewise elongated gripper with a longitudinal, radially projecting rib pivotally engaging a through slot in the carrier. The slot constitutes an opening for the insertion and locking of the fabric etc. which is inserted through the slot and placed around the internal, elongated gripper and out through the slot on the opposite side of the rib of the gripper, which is pivoted towards the slot edge adjacent to the pulled-out portion of the fabric, for the securing of the latter. However, this known device is constructed in such a manner, that it is unsuitable for spooling said fabric, band, line or similar. Furthermore, the securing effect is based on the inner gripper being freely movable vertically in relation to the surrounding carrier, and on releasing the fabric or similar the inner gripper must consequently be lifted. This makes the release rather unpractical.
Winding drums/spools are known, in the winding surface of which are formed grooves, into which locking means are inserted, for example in the form of wedge-shaped blocks, to provide for securing of the end of the strap etc. which is to be spooled. The locking blocks are normally unpractical to displace from a position in which they secure the end of a strap or similar to the winding drum, into a position in which the band end is released. Examples of such securing devices by winding drums appear from U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,487, DE 44 10 308 and DE 25 42 955.